LeVeck announces candidacy for state rep

My name is Todd LeVeck, and I am ready to be the next representative of the 16th State House District. I am running for state representative because I feel that I am not being represented in Columbus, and I think we can do better for our schools, our communities and the families of the 16th District.

I was born in Cleveland and grew up in Northeast Ohio before enlisting in the Navy in 1990. During my enlistment, I served in the first Gulf War and earned BA and MS degrees in preparation for a career as an educator. I left active duty in 1998 and have served in the Navy Reserve for most of the past 15 years, serving as the Senior Enlisted Leader in my last two units. In my career I earned three Navy Achievement Medals and was chosen as the Navy Reserve Sailor of the Year for the Cleveland Reserve Center in 2005. I will officially retire from the Navy Reserve this summer.

I have been a public school teacher since 1998 and currently teach computer programming and serve as the athletic director at Max S. Hayes High School in Cleveland. I have served as a department head, peer coach, and in leadership positions at the building and district level. In 2011, I was chosen to be among a select group of teacher leaders to represent the CMSD in the First Ring Leadership Academy, and recently earned my Master Teacher credential.

My wife, Naomi, and I have been married for 22 years, and our three children attend Westlake schools. We chose to raise our children in Westlake because of the excellent reputation of our public schools. Unfortunately, legislators in Ohio have allowed failing charter schools to grow while our neighborhood schools face continued funding challenges.

The current leadership and our current representative in Columbus have failed to adequately address an unconstitutional school funding system, forcing our schools to continue to ask the community for increased property taxes. I know that we can fix school funding; we cannot continue to ignore the problem.

I haven’t planned my life around a run for public office, but my life has prepared me for this opportunity. My experience as an educator has taught me the importance of investing in our children. My military service has taught me the importance of service to country and keeping our commitment to those who have served.

I know that leadership is about listening to people, hearing their concerns, and seeking ways to work within existing systems to find solutions, while having the courage to look “outside the box” or “across the aisle.” I am excited about this race, and I look forward to the challenge ahead.